Ep. 211: Everyday Absurdities

Summary

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Podcast Summary: You, Me & Mike

Episode 211: Everyday Absurdities
Release Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Jenn & Mike Todryk (produced by Thirteen Media)

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Overview

In this lighthearted and freewheeling episode, Jenn and Mike Todryk dive into the “everyday absurdities” that make up modern life. Touching on unwritten social rules, pet peeves, nostalgic memories, and playful hypotheticals (think: farting confetti vs. sneezing glitter), the couple banter through both relatable annoyances and quirky stories from their lives. The entire episode remains conversational, humorous, and inviting, packed with nostalgia and the unfiltered dynamic listeners expect from You, Me & Mike.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Concept of 'Everyday Absurdities'

• 00:54–02:20
  Mike introduces the theme as a collection of random, light topics—everyday things that are odd or illogical but widely accepted:

  “The first thing we’re going to talk about is everyday absurdities...I want to keep it light and fun.” – Mike (02:00)

2. Unwritten Social Rules

• 03:06–10:41
  The hosts explore those strange, unspoken codes we all seem to follow:
  • Jenn points out how nobody cares about the 'no white after Labor Day' rule anymore, crediting Millennials for breaking that mold.

    "White is year round. Why would white only be worn in warmer months? Makes no sense." – Jenn (02:50)

  • Grocery shopping quirks: Mike describes never taking the first fruit on display; both discuss the germiness of produce.
  • The etiquette of using public restrooms—Jenn squats “every time,” and the couple agrees on layering toilet paper for kids.

    "For the kids, I always put toilet paper down on the seat. I do that for Viv." – Jenn (09:43)

  • Pretending to be busy in certain social situations—Mike confesses to it; Jenn insists she “owns it” when taking breaks.

3. Work & Office Absurdities

• 07:12–08:56
  Mike shares how, pre-pandemic, there was pressure to appear busy when working from home:
  • Anecdote about a former coworker who pretended to be constantly in surgery as a status symbol.

    "This guy, no matter what time of day... he would always, no matter what, make you think he was busier than you." – Mike (08:12)

4. Pet Peeves

• 11:05–16:24
  A hilarious back-and-forth on each other's (and the world’s) pet peeves:
  • Jenn’s airplane pet peeve: people who stand and rush the aisle upon landing, rather than waiting their turn.

    “I will stick my foot out in the middle of the aisle... Sit down, wait your turn.” – Jenn (12:08)

  • Mike’s: loud eating noises at home, especially crunching apples (described as a “visceral” reaction).

    “I get mad… it creates, like, an emotional reaction to me where you should move.” – Mike (15:03)

  • Jenn’s family pet peeve: being expected to know where everything in the house is.

    “I am not the keeper of all the crap. I need you all to figure it out.” – Jenn (16:26)

  • Mike’s: empty boxes left in the freezer or fridge.

5. Nostalgia: Growing Up in the 90s/2000s

• 24:40–41:22
  The hosts swap stories about now-extinct cultural moments and tech:
  • Jenn laments how kids no longer have to wait for a favorite radio song or Saturday morning cartoon.

    “Our kids never have to wait to hear a song.” – Jenn (25:54)

  • Mike reminisces about Saturday morning cartoons and renting Nintendo games from Blockbuster. He describes the heartbreak when a rental cartridge didn’t work and DIY attempts at fixing them.
  • Both recall “extreme” marketing to kids in the 90s—X-treme snacks, wild commercials, and tie-in merchandise.
  • Discussion of the downfall of Toys R Us and the big-box toy store era.

    “Amazon killed it... that amount of toys, that much real estate just doesn’t make sense anymore.” – Mike (30:35)

  • Forgotten icons: Ronald McDonald’s disappearance from advertising, and why McDonald’s pulled back on mascot-based marketing.

6. Parenting Fibs & Technology

• 43:18–47:08
  The couple admits to telling their kids “the WiFi goes to sleep at 9pm” and other harmless lies:

  “We definitely told them... ‘the Internet’s out’... They probably thought we had the crappiest WiFi.” – Jenn (43:39)

  • Jenn discusses the importance of monitoring online games—especially Roblox—and not letting devices go unsupervised.

    “Roblox is not the enemy per se... you just have to watch, like you have to be around.” – Jenn (44:36)

7. Money Lessons & First Jobs

• 48:10–51:53
  The hosts reflect on how their parents handled allowance, jobs, and personal finance:
  • Mike shares how his mother switched from a tip jar system to demanding he earn his own cash at 16.
  • Jenn’s first job at Sonic, motivated by a friend, gave her a sense of independence and fun.

8. Absurd Hypotheticals

• 54:13–56:14
  Rapid-fire would-you-rather scenarios wrap up the episode:

  • Would you rather laugh like a car alarm or hiccup whenever someone says your name?
  • Would you rather sneeze glitter or fart confetti?

  “I guess I’d rather sneeze glitter because sneezing isn’t embarrassing. When glitter comes out would be mortifying. But also, fart is way funnier.” – Jenn (55:52)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Unwritten Social Rules:
  “White is year round. Why would white only be worn in warmer months? Makes no sense. Why can't I be cold wearing white?” – Jenn (02:50)

• On Airplane Etiquette:
  “I will stick my foot out in the middle of the aisle... Sit down, wait your turn. Like, there’s people with kids that are screaming to get off this plane. Sit down.” – Jenn (12:08)

• On Pet Peeves in the Household:
  “I am not the keeper of all the crap. I know you know where it is.” – Jenn (16:26)
  “It’s a crunching sound. And it... creates, like, an emotional reaction to me where you should move.” – Mike (15:03)

• On Parenting Fibs:
  “We definitely told them... The Internet’s out. They probably thought we had the crappiest WiFi.” – Jenn (43:39)

• On Nostalgia:
  “Our kids never have to wait to hear a song.” – Jenn (25:54)
  “Saturday mornings were like something special... your Fruity Pebbles, and you sit in front of the TV watching Transformers.” – Mike (26:26)

• On Confetti Farts vs. Glitter Sneezes:
  “I guess I’d rather sneeze glitter because sneezing isn’t embarrassing. When glitter comes out would be mortifying. But also, fart is way funnier.” – Jenn (55:52)

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Notable and Funny Timestamps

• Airplane Aisle Debate: 11:11–13:40
• Food Noise Pet Peeve: 14:23–15:37
• Nostalgia Kick (90s Radio & Cartoons): 24:40–27:59
• Blockbuster & Nintendo Cartridge Fixing: 34:18–36:00
• Parenting Lies (WiFi bedtime): 43:31–44:02
• Absurd Hypotheticals Begin: 54:12

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Overall Tone

Conversational, playful, candid, and relatable, with lots of good-natured ribbing and a focus on shared nostalgia and family realities. Humor and exaggeration are part of the Todryks' charm throughout this “everyday absurdities” themed episode.

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Useful for New Listeners

• This episode captures the spontaneous and unfiltered nature of Jenn and Mike’s podcast, with practical discussions, real-life stories, and a generous dose of 80s/90s nostalgia.
• It’s full of easy-to-relate-to scenarios, offering both a look at their everyday lives and bigger trends in how families and technology have changed.

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For more topics, suggestion submission, or to leave a voice message for the show, email [e-mail].

Transcript

[A]

We are casual Friday today, aren't we? This is me. Fun one.

[B]

I'm straight out of tennis practice. I know you are. Straight out of your pajamas.

[A]

You like my shirt?

[B]

I do. It's a good looking shirt. Shout out to Armor Brewing Company in Allen, Texas.

[A]

That's our business, if you don't know. Pretty awesome. We. I showed Jason, one of our friends this shirt. He's like. He like, that's a Metallica ripoff shirt. I'm like, exactly. That's exactly what it is. Thank you. Thank you for acknowledging this is a. You know, I love it. It's fun.

[B]

It is fun. Look at angry Alice, the rhino, our little mask. Angry mascot.

[A]

We've brew so many beer. Like, we. Brian's done over 50. He does like a beer a week. So the back of it has every beer listed. Looks like a concert shirt.

[B]

That is really cool. Anyway, I love that.

[A]

Yeah, we're coming up on two years, Jen. Two years grand or two year longer, actually.

[B]

Weird. I feel like we've been doing it for 10 years.

[A]

Yeah. Well, I mean, we talked about this. We were talking Armor Brewing in the last podcast, weren't we? Which was two years ago, right?

[B]

Or like last season?

[A]

Last season, yeah. Yeah. So yeah. And we.

[B]

Oh, yeah. And you were like, hopefully it's open.

[A]

And it was open.

[B]

We need to go back and like, listen to that episode. That would be funny to hear.

[A]

No, this was the. The brewing company took four years from when we initiated to actually is now. So it's two years to get open and now we've been two years from that point. So it's four years since we actually started the op. The business and then. But two years in operation. Things are going good. It's pretty awesome. Anyway, it's gonna be a fun podcast today.

[B]

Okay. So Mike has planned this episode and so every once in a while he likes me to have like shock value and he likes to have genuine responses, which is good. And so we mix it up. Who's kind of taking the lead on the. The meat and bones of the bones.

[A]

And meat meat, meat, bones, meat.

[B]

And get the organs in the meat of the podcast.

[A]

Wrestle and syrup.

[B]

All right, what are we talking about?

[A]

The term.

[B]

No clue. Genuinely, what are we talking about today.

[A]

Is just a random one. All right. So we're really just gonna be doing kind of more everyday things. I want to keep it light.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And fun. So I have like a bunch of like, random subjects to talk about.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So today, the first thing we're going to talk about everyday absurdities Everyday absurdities. Everyday absurdities.

[B]

What does that even mean?

[A]

I don't know, but we're gonna go with it.

[B]

All right. Lay it on me.

[A]

All right, here's a question for you.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

What's one unwritten rule everyone seems to follow but no one talks about?

[B]

I know one rule that no one cares about anymore is wearing white after Labor Day. We were white all the time. It's not even a rule anymore.

[A]

Is that a rule?

[B]

Yeah, but that goes against what you're saying, that no one. I feel like no one follows that anymore.

[A]

When did that stop? And why did that stop?

[B]

I think the younger generations, like, millennials, like, smashed that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I think they were like, no, we want to wear. They call it winter white now. Like, white pants and stuff. Like, I don't even think about that anymore ever. Like, white is year round. Why would white only be worn in warmer months? Makes no sense. Why can't. Why can't I be cold wearing white?

[A]

Well, I mean, it's. You wear white in the snow hills, right? Like, the snow bunny outfit is, like, usually white, isn't it?

[B]

I mean, I think there's a lot. A ski suit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

There's tons of colors. Otherwise we just see. I know, but I mean, it's like a ski hill.

[A]

I don't know what I'm talking about. I got one. I mean, so here's one. Be like, to me, this is kind of like the absurdity thing. Like, okay, if you go to the grocery store and you're buying fruit or watermelon, like, you don't pick the first one that you touch. Right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, you never do that.

[B]

You inspect.

[A]

Yeah, but it's never the first one.

[B]

But I feel like the women and men who grocery shop a lot, we're looking for imperfections and things that look bad. You don't want to spend your money and then have a huge bruised apple. Right? So, I mean, maybe it's unspoken, but there's a purpose behind it.

[A]

I would look. I think it is like the first one I touch. Everyone else is touched.

[B]

They've all been touched. Hate to break it to you. I do tend to not grab right on top or in the front. I kind of go digging for my fruit, but probably everyone else does that, too. So in reality, it's like we're all digging.

[A]

Look at that.

[B]

It's kind of a miracle we don't get sick more often. When you think about stuff like that, like, all that fruit has not just been touched from sitting out in the store. They have been Text from, like being loaded from the farm, then onto the truck, then from the truck into the store, then into the store, onto the shelf. I mean, they're touched a ton.

[A]

We. We had an apple tree in our backyard, or actually my neighbor did. And they would like be the season where there just be hundreds of apples, like dropping off. It was awesome.

[B]

That would be fun.

[A]

But I have strong memories of eating apples and it was like a 50% chance there was a worm in it.

[B]

Ew.

[A]

But you got kind of used to it.

[B]

You did?

[A]

Yeah. Eating worms.

[B]

I don't know if I'd ever get used to eating a worm.

[A]

Have you ever seen a worm in apple?

[B]

Not like in real life. You haven't seen it in a drawing or like a cartoon?

[A]

You've never seen a worm in an apple?

[B]

I would just.

[A]

A worm.

[B]

You hate worms. What are you talking about? If there's a worm or a maggot, this man falls apart.

[A]

No, I've, I've. I've become. You have more immune to it. But for some reason, when I was a kid, particularly man, maggots were maggots.

[B]

He means maggot maggots, Megan.

[A]

That was like the one thing that would give me chills. Yeah.

[B]

Speaking of which. I killed a roach last Thursday in the living room. I didn't kill it. I found it dead. And I put a plastic cup over it. It's behind my big umbrella, so it's still sitting there. And you have not picked that up.

[A]

Well, I have it. I didn't. Why would I know there's a roach behind a tree hidden.

[B]

It's a clear plastic cup on top of a belly up roach. It's also been in my stories. And I know you watch.

[A]

In our living room.

[B]

You saw it in my stories, fool. I know you did.

[A]

So why would you just leave it there?

[B]

I'm not touching it. That's why I got married, fool. That's why you're here.

[A]

It's there. Like. Nope, it's a roach.

[B]

It's. Well, sometimes they fake out that they're dead when they're not. So I enclosed it.

[A]

Okay. That's a good story.

[B]

Pick it up when we go. Can you pick it up when we get home, please?

[A]

Do you pretend to look busy when like you're never. You never do that? Nope. You know, like if you're at the.

[B]

If I'm not busy, I'm like.

[A]

You're not like the doctor's office. You don't want to make eye contact with people. You just put your face down Oh.

[B]

I don't fake it. Then I just do something.

[A]

I'll work, work.

[B]

I'll open an email. That's the difference. I'll actually do something. But to fake it. Yeah, that would be awkward.

[A]

Have you ever been somewhere you don't want to talk to somebody so you, like, put your 100%.

[B]

I will fake that. Oh.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Finger up phones.

[B]

Yes. No, I do not feel the need to fake busy. If I'm, like, taking a minute to do something that's not work, I just kind of own it because I'm like, no, I'm going. I'm. I'm about to have to pick up their kids from school and be going till 10. I can sit here for a second. I don't know. I feel like I don't have to do that. I'm also not like, in a cubicle nine to five, you know, be busy. Yeah. So I don't have anyone really standing over me. So maybe that's the difference. I'm sure I did when I worked, like Zara and Forever 21. I'm trying, but I'm really not because I stay busy. I like to be busy.

[A]

We. I talked about this before. Well, maybe I don't know if I talked to us on the podcast, but there was a. When I. I did actually talk about this pre Covid. The culture, the mild company was is that like, if you. Everyone knew we had home offices because we didn't have, like, corporate offices.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But you would always, like, pretend you were at the office, but you'd be like, everything is quiet. You'd have to be like, you know, right dress. Right dress. On the aspect of making everything very, very thing. Or I'd go out to the car, right? Like, like, oh, yeah, driving for something.

[B]

I, I. Liar.

[A]

Wasn't lying. It was. It was, you know, creating the perception of being busy even though you were busy and there wasn't like, you wasn't like, I wasn't doing work, but it was. This idea of working from home was. Was sort of frowned upon, but it's completely changed. Post Covid. Yeah, I had a. There was a guy that I worked with when I first got out of the military, and this guy, no matter what time of the day. So I used to work in the operating room and do procedures with doctors. I sold pacemakers and defibrillators. And this guy, you could call him at like 9pm be like, hey, sorry, I'm in the middle of surgery. It's 9pm dude, you're not in a Surgery he would like, but he would always, no matter what, make you think that he was busier than you.

[B]

But that's just a liar.

[A]

It was that, like, it was absurd. It was absolutely the most absurd thing. The guy cracked me up, though. Anyway, I don't think people have these.

[B]

I don't think it's as big as a fault. We're like, okay, you're taking a break and scrolling on Instagram, and maybe your boss walks by and you act. You flip out of it real quick. Okay, that's fine. We all can do that from time to time, right? I would do that, I'm sure, if I had a traditional job. But, like, just saying some. You're doing something that you're not. To me, that's just lying.

[A]

Well, great.

[B]

It was like, I actually don't think that's cool. But the other one, it's like, who cares?

[A]

I wasn't lying when I was in the car. I mean, I was working, but. No, but those things were, like, that's.

[B]

Where I always had three small kids. You were.

[A]

Yeah. Those things were a complete mess at the house and, you know, trying chaos going on and trying to have silence. Talk to a CFO of a hospital system about things. Yeah, it's probably not the most ideal thing.

[B]

Hold on. You're so much better at these random questions than I am. Why can't I think about this stuff? What's an unspoken rule? An unspoken rule I do is when we use a public restroom, I don't care if. Well, I squat when I pee. Maybe tmi Every time. All the time.

[A]

I do, too.

[B]

But for the girls.

[A]

Just get the visual on that one.

[B]

There might be some men that do. And you now just made them, like, think that's bad.

[A]

Well, if you got, like, sticky things down there, maybe squatting would separate it and help.

[B]

Oh, okay. So for the kids, I always put toilet paper down on this.

[A]

I do that for. For Viv.

[B]

And it's like, I guess I don't. I always do. Is that an unspoken rule?

[A]

It's gross in public. Public bathrooms, I do that as well.

[B]

Yeah. For Viv, like, someone's butt was there.

[A]

Yeah, but their butts. I was gonna say their butt's probably cleaner than their hands. Probably is. Right?

[B]

They're. But the back of their. Maybe the back of their hamstrings.

[A]

I mean, maybe it's probably cleaner than their actual hands. I mean, you shake somebody's hand, probably. Why not shake their butt?

[B]

I mean, probably shake butts. Just grab a butt.

[A]

Nice to meet you, Boink, boink.

[B]

No, we're like dogs but touching each other. Okay. No, I want to think of. Is that a good unspoken rule? I'm trying to think.

[A]

I think that's. I actually would agree with that.

[B]

Yeah. Okay, here's the thing. Well, but there's common sense behind it. Why do we always. Okay, well, see, that's stupid. See, I'm not good at this. I was gonna say we put the ice in before the liquid but it's so it doesn't splash everywhere. So that's stupid.

[A]

I'm just not operational like logistical thing. Yeah. All right, well on the next one.

[B]

No, I'm determined to have a good answer to this. Okay. I'll come back if I think.

[A]

All right. Oh, this. Okay, this one I'll say what's weird pet peeve that only you have that you think. But I know when you have and I'm going to say it because we can get into a subject of this thing.

[B]

Good. Because you're better than this. Than I am.

[A]

You have a. A very particular airport airplane pet peeve. Very.

[B]

Oh, I think I share it with the masses. Michael.

[A]

Jen. Jen gets viscerally angry. She doesn't always say something. Sometimes she does out loud and then is when the people. When the airplane lands, people stand up and they just start v lining towards the door and they don't wait their turn to allow like the sections in front of them.

[B]

I stick my foot out in the middle of the aisle and I'll also stick my bag in the middle of the aisle. Yeah, I understand. If you are late to a connecting flight.

[A]

Oh, that's different.

[B]

We're will always let people pass. Especially if the captain's like, hey, please let people buy they're running late. Totally different. But if there is no announcement or if you are not audibly saying I'm so sorry, I am late for my next flight. Can I. 100% I will let you go. That's amaz.

[A]

In fact.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

In fact we'll stand up and be like move out of the way.

[B]

Yes, I will create a path for you friends.

[A]

And then we're out of the plane first too because we're bowling through. It's kind of like a genius thing. It's like I'm also late. It's like following an ambulance in traffic jam. You just get behind behind them and next thing you know you got a path paved way for you.

[B]

We're being escorted off the plane.

[A]

We don't do that. Disclaimer.

[B]

No, I get. Sit down, wait your turn. Like there's kid, there's people with kids like that are screaming to get off this plane. Sit down. I, I will stick my foot out in the aisle. And if you trip, that is not my problem because I paid for this spot.

[A]

Hey, look, I am right there with you. And I do think that the. And I do wish flight attendants would make a more of an announcement when people are late because that is something that you didn't honor that if you're like, hey, stand up. Let those people go. Help people be, be courteous. And that's the thing is, is everyone. I do think airport culture has gotten insanely selfish. And it's especially like, you know, the gate lice thing where everyone's piling in and you're like, they're. They're boarding Class 5 and they're at the front of the. Of the gate, like blocking everyone. It's just, it's just a strange situation which is like once somebody does and then we find ourselves trying to get up as well. Like, you know, we, you know, fortunately travel a lot and we have. I use an airline card to give a status so it allows me to get, get in. Which is. I'm very, very grateful for that life hack to be able to get on earlier on the plane. But it's just wait your turn, wait.

[B]

Your turn, wait your turn. I can't stand it. There's times where we're flight in the past. We're flight seven. We wait till flight your group seven. We wait till group seven. Like it's not that difficult. Drives me nuts. Yeah, I also do like to be on the plane. We've gotten a little better about getting early because we did carry on. But typically with three children, I like to wait until the last boarding call because we don't carry on.

[A]

Yeah. If you're checked. If you have all your stuff in check in and you have one under the seat, I'll be lasting the plane totally.

[B]

Why would we make them sit even longer? Yeah, hold on.

[A]

But the carry on thing is totally different. If you have carry on, you got to get on early.

[B]

That's a good pet peeve. I'm trying to think of what another pet peeve. It's like when you put. I'm such like a quick thinker, but I feel like I need to have like a good creative answer because you come up with good creative answers. What's your pet? Hold on, let me guess. Oh, yours is dumb. Anytime anyone chews around, this man throws a full temper tantrum. And he's the loudest chewer ever. It makes no sense. That actually ticks me off. That's my pet mouth chewer. No, I'm not. No. But for some reason, you're like, jaws pop and stuff. Like, you're very loud.

[A]

Remember you had that co worker that was full on, like, don't say your name. I'm not going to.

[B]

I know exactly who you're talking.

[A]

You remember how.

[B]

It was bad.

[A]

It was so absurd that I thought it was like, is this. Is that we're doing it on purpose?

[B]

It's horrible. Smacking is bad. Yeah.

[A]

No crunching. So I like, I. I get mad.

[B]

Even just thinking about.

[A]

No, it's a strange look. That is a pet peeve of mine. And I know, but it's only really with, like, at home. I don't do it in the public.

[B]

Only for his children. Our kids are going to be scarred.

[A]

Unfortunately.

[B]

Unfortunately.

[A]

If I. But it's this. It's a crunching sound. And it, It. I get. It creates like an emotional reaction to me where you should move. Oh, my God.

[B]

Then you go eat in the dining room by yourself.

[A]

Yeah. I think it's called synesthesia.

[B]

I don't give a crap what it's called. It's called.

[A]

You're an adult term for it. You're in a certain sound, visceral, almost rage feeling. I don't rage. I'm just like, stop chewing. Stop smacking. Stop chewing.

[B]

My point.

[A]

But I've gotten the point where I tell the kids, I know you're not doing this on purpose. You know, dad, this is Dad's pet peeve. Sorry. Please, please try to clue, you know, chew with your mouth closed. And it's more this. It's not the crunch. Apples particularly drive me insane for some reason.

[B]

Like, full rage. That's rage.

[A]

But it's the.

[B]

Our kids kind of do. Sometimes one of them, two of them actually do, like this bunny where they, like, take the chip and they're like. And I will say that's a little like, okay, stop. Because the reason I don't like it, though, is because then they drop stuff everywhere. I'm like, stop it.

[A]

No, that is an absurd one. And I will say that I, I.

[B]

Absurd.

[A]

It's a dumb one.

[B]

It's like controlling.

[A]

I'm not happy about that. Having that I control my emotions. I don't get angry. I'll just ask people, Ask them to stop chomping angrily. But yeah, not necessarily.

[B]

What's my other pet peeve? I mean, I have more. I'm pretty calm. Like, I don't I'm not an angry. I'm not quick to anger.

[A]

I'm not quick.

[B]

I'm pretty chill. No, I'm just talking about. I know I have to have another pet peeve other than the airplane one.

[A]

The airplane one is the one the public that you've.

[B]

Oh, I have a pet peeve, but it's probably all women around the entire world. I have a pet peeve that everyone in my family, before looking for something, including Mike, will ask me where it is. As if they haven't lived here for five years either. You know where that is? And it's because it's just quicker to ask me. I finally looked at Mike like a month ago. I was like, I am not the keeper of all the crap. Yeah, but I kind of am. I'm like, you lived here too.

[A]

Figure it out, because I know you know where it is.

[B]

No, I'm gonna start acting stupid because I need you all to figure it out.

[A]

What if. I don't know, what if I figure it out?

[B]

You have a brain.

[A]

I gotta ask. I got a question for you.

[B]

Okay. Okay.

[A]

I forgot.

[B]

He's trying to get off this topic. He does that. That's a pet peeve. He does that all the time. We'll be talking about something he's like, hey, about and I'll be like, I'll wait for him and he'll be like. Because he just wants to interrupt it and stop the conversation. That's a pet peeve.

[A]

You know, one of mine drives me crazy. Empty boxes in the fridge or refrigerator freezer. Yeah, that does drive me.

[B]

That does drive me nuts, that one. I feel like you do it though.

[A]

I don't do that.

[B]

So it's probably kids.

[A]

It is, but I. I saw Vaughn do it the other day. Put. He literally. It was a chocolate covered bananas, which is one of my favorite treats ever. So he took one. He took it. I knew the box was empty because he like, he like this. He just puts it right back in the fridge. I'm like, dude, you think, why, why are we freezing boxes now? He's like, oh, yeah.

[B]

I said, you know what? I'm sorry, I'm catch myself. I said, that's a man thing to do. My dad would never. My dad is so type A. He had a double hip replacement recently. And so right now he's in like the recovery phase and he has to do a certain amount of walking for like 12 minutes at a time. And he said he has a little track in his home because he doesn't have many Options of this track. He's calling it his track. And he is getting paranoid. He's, like, looking at the floor intensely. He thinks he's going to wear down the wood. I thought that was.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I was like, dad, you have.

[A]

Floors are meant to walk on.

[B]

I mean, it's not even real wood like, that stuff.

[A]

It's an engineered wood.

[B]

Exactly. Which is made to outlast. Like, they're really good now. I'm like, dad, you're not. You're gonna be fine. He's like, well, it's a dark stain. I'm like, you're gonna be fine. I can just see him, like, bending over, barely how fast he's motoring. And now a word from the sponsor of this episode, Cozy Earth. This all started with a Christmas gift from my parents, which were Cozy Earth bamboo sheets. I remember opening them and being like, who needs sheets this luxurious? Not me. Open them, put them on my bed. Fast forward a few years, and now even my guest bed has Cozy Earth sheets on it because they're so good. I have no other sheets now. Well, the kids do, but adult beds do not have anything other than Cozy Earth because why would I put anything on there except the best of the best? Those bamboo sheets are so stinking soft. They're cool to the touch. So if you're a hot sleeper, they make sleeping so comfortable. Start with the sheets. My code redhead for cozy Earth takes 40 off, which makes them much more affordable. And they are worth every stinking penny again. So my parents got us addicted to Cozy Earth. What else have we gotten from Cozy Earth? My mom gave me a Cozy Earth jogger set and Mike, Cozy Earth pajamas for Christmas last year. And like, three days ago, Mike was like, tell your mom those Cozy Earth pajamas are seriously my favorite. Highly recommend those as well. They're just super, super soft. And even with lots of washes, they just stay in mint condition. They stay soft and again, cool to the touch. And then the third recommendation is the bubble cuddle blanket. I have one sitting on my bed strictly because I don't want anyone else touching it. I don't want the kids spit on it. I don't want food on it. I don't want dog hair on it. I want that thing to stay put, pristine and soft. And I'm using it as a comforter right now because it's getting cold. The cut bubble cuddle blanket is insanely soft. Would make an amazing Christmas gift. It's just the best blanket ever. You can get different sizes as well. Okay, so right now you can save up to 40 at Cozy Earth. Just go to www.cozyearth.com backslash redhead and use the code redhead. At checkout again, that's www.cozyearth.com backslash redhead. And with the code redhead, you will save up to 40% off. Wrap the ones you love in luxury with Cozy Earth. But for real, it does feel like luxury. It's so stinking good.

[A]

Do you get annoyed when people leave you voicemails?

[B]

No, I just don't check them. Doesn't bother me at all. You. What you don't see can't bother you. Out of sight, out of mind.

[A]

It's funny is my generation. I. I'm. You know, I'm a. I'm a gen. Late Gen Xer, early millennium.

[B]

I'm not a millennial.

[A]

I'm full on Gen X. But it's My like, voicemails were normal and I'll still leave them on occasion. And like, I'll leave you voicemails full. Well, knowing that you like, I probably have 3,000 voicemails that I've left you saved in your file somewhere that you've never listened to.

[B]

Okay, question. Why wouldn't someone get. Send an audio text now a voice.

[A]

Memo, you know, way more because it's already gone to. But then I have to go to one more step or just.

[B]

Well, that's lazy on you.

[A]

I'll tell you this though. I love. From a technology thing, we talked about smartphones, stuff like, you know, good and bad. I love voice dictation. Although I speak in different languages sometimes according to Siri. But it's. It's a. For the most part, my messages get.

[B]

Across you voice text different. Voice dictation different than when you text.

[A]

I know.

[B]

Coming home at three, period. Have Vaughn ready, period. It's like. Honey, you can elaborate. Like you. You talk different in voice dictation. I heard you, dude.

[A]

I was funny that you're saying, I heard you voice dictator. And you're like, send hello. And you'll like certain words. You don't know how to spend. You'll be like. You'll. You'll voice dictate the words. You're like text, text. Soup du jour. Like random words.

[B]

Meniscus. Because I don't know how to say random words.

[A]

Put in like, I'll just hear you blurting out like hardest.

[B]

Yeah, hard to write words because I'm a really good speller. But every once in a while if I haven't seen the word like, meniscus was one. I had to Use recently. I am like, I'm not going to sit here and take time to look dumb and figure it out. Yeah. So I just voice dictate it and then I'll keep. Because my thumbs are super fast. I can text as fast as I can voice dictate. I only voice dictate if I'm driving. And it drives me nuts because why can't it spell Berkeley's name correct?

[A]

I've even fix it and. Well, all of them. Vaughn's. Yes. Well, it's probably because we didn't spell any of our kids with traditional spelling.

[B]

But I've changed it in the phone so many times I've said like ad word or whatever you can do, and it still doesn't do it. Driving nuts.

[A]

If only technology could catch up to what your needs are.

[B]

Remember when my mom. My mom, whenever she first started.

[A]

I'm still not a redhead emoji of all this.

[B]

I'm sorry, but that's real. No, there is.

[A]

You can make only one.

[B]

It's just like this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because that's bright, flaming orange hair versus a girl who can do this. Yeah. And this because.

[A]

And this because the redheads don't have any souls, so.

[B]

Okay. All right.

[A]

You know, a little smile is all you get.

[B]

I'm always a blonde. I'm like, why am I picking the blonde? I'm probably closer to a brunette. Like, color, tone wise. Like, I have dark hair compared to a blonde. You put me closer to brunette or blonde.

[A]

You're red. I know, but there is no if.

[B]

You had to pick one to identify with.

[A]

Oh, your head. You heard because you have. You have an auburn. You have an auburn color.

[B]

I need to pick a brunette. I know they're coming out with all these things, like pregnant men emoji, and I can't get a redhead doing anything. What are we doing? Come on. I've said this for years.

[A]

Sorry, I didn't. I mean, I got you off subject on this. No, that's a pet peeve.

[B]

No, but it is kind. Think about if you didn't have a brunette emoji and you're like, okay, there's red, there's black, and they're blonde. Which one am I picking?

[A]

Have you noticed almost all my emojis are still the orange or the yellow guy? Like, I don't even change it. I'm like, whatever. It just doesn't like. So that's. Yeah, that's my level. All right. I'm gonna move on. It's probably interest of time.

[B]

It's probably best yeah, you don't.

[A]

You don't have any pet peeves. This thing is one thing about you is you just. You just. You go with it.

[B]

You're lying. I am a go with it person, but I have pet peeves.

[A]

All right, this morning, talk about some nostalgia and pop culture now. All right, what is the most random 90s and 2000 thing you can think of that, like, would make no sense to our children or just no sense to you anymore? I got one.

[B]

I mean, I really am sad that. What I was thinking about this the other day. So there was. We listened to radio stations back then, and there was. When I was a younger kid, I loved listening to Radio Disney. And I remember it was a radio station ran by Disney. And they'd have, like, DJs and even kid DJs on. They'd have people, like, talk about stuff, answer questions, like, stuff about school and. And it was so fun and catered to kids, but a legit radio station. And I just remember always waiting. Radio dj?

[A]

Yeah, Like, Radio Disney.

[B]

Radio Disney.

[A]

They have those voices like that.

[B]

Yeah. But I remember waiting. And when that song hit that you loved, you'd blare it, and it'd be, like, the best two. Two minutes and 30 seconds. And then you'd have to wait for, like, four or five more hours till.

[A]

Can you give me an example of what song that would be?

[B]

No, I can't remember that well, but I just remember, like, our kids never have to wait to watch a TV show they're excited about.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

They never have to wait to hear a song.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

I mean, even putting in, like, a CD into a CD player to get to number seven that you wanted to listen to. They don't even have that motion of, like, popping open the button. And the thing. It's really sad.

[A]

It's all even in the car now.

[B]

Click, click, click.

[A]

Yeah, it's like. It's right there. And now you're listening to any music. Kind of awesome. That one. I kind of like the music. I would go back.

[B]

I would set that back a little bit.

[A]

I like the music thing. The one thing I miss. Saturday morning cartoons. That's the one I missed.

[B]

Would be, like, four hours.

[A]

That's the one, Doug. Yeah. Because Saturday mornings were, like, something special.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It was like the weekend came and you're getting up and you have your foodie Pebbles, and you sit in front of the TV watching Transformers.

[B]

Never had Fruity Pebbles.

[A]

Yo. Your parents were rude.

[B]

I know.

[A]

We don't have Fruity Pebbles at our house. So what are our kids?

[B]

Yeah. So we're rude.

[A]

Your parents were smart.

[B]

Actually, it's funny, I. My parents, they weren't always like that because I have memories of eating like, gummy snacks and like junk cereals.

[A]

Talk about the poison, those things.

[B]

100. So it's like they. My mom probably around when I was 10, so that would make her like 30, 32. That's when she started being really big into health. Yeah, it was. She always was more conservative than most, but that's when she was like, we never. What. The one thing I will say about my mom is I never ate white bread. Even from like birth, she never gave us white bread. She was like, it's no nutritional value and it just makes a glue in your stomach. She's not wrong. Have you ever put water on it? Yeah, it just literally goes up.

[A]

Like. But it's not all white breads. It just has to do with the level of gluten refined. Well, we're talking if you have an unreal flour. Like, yeah, Wonder Bread.

[B]

That was big in the 90s. So we always had whole wheat bread and we always hated that because all of our friends had white bread.

[A]

But.

[B]

But then it's funny, I became an adult and I never thought to buy white bread. And we buy. We bread.

[A]

Your generation was the generation of like the extreme gushers. Everything. Everything became. We just had gushers and fruit roll ups. And then. Yeah, next. Then like, then it was. Everything was X and extreme. You remember, like, everything was. And all the. All the commercials were just like hyp Vision to the extreme. Like.

[B]

Well, the 90s was so much. Like, it would be like.

[A]

Explode in your mouth.

[B]

Like, they realized, like. Yes. Like, the kid's head would explode or like when he ate kool aid, like, the thing would shoot out of his ears. Like, it was very. Like they realized they captivated on like, kids love. Like.

[A]

Yeah, it was like over the top.

[B]

Over the top cheesiness. Yes.

[A]

But it was all. I mean, then it was. Because the X Games around, I think it was all the stuff. They're kind of capitalizing it. Capitalizing on to get kids, like, interested into it. It is.

[B]

Yes. Marketing to children. I think you're right. I think they started, well, the 80s.

[A]

When I was in my generation, I think was the first generation. I may be wrong, but, like, the millennials were. That's when they started tying in cartoons and merchandise together. Like, Star wars kind of was the first one that really did the movie. And the merchandise was probably a little bit before me. Yeah, first one but then it came into the point where like everything was marketing wasn't just a, you know make this commercial and sell this thing. It was like tie it into a story. And that's where Transformers and GI Joe and gosh he man and all this stuff. They were all cartoons and merchandise.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And you, you. I mean you bought in. That was.

[B]

I mean that's the.

[A]

That was the good old days.

[B]

I mean now that I look back and as.

[A]

Yeah, sorry.

[B]

We. It's okay. We always thought Barbie was cool. But now that I look back, Barbie exploded in the 90s. Like I was Barbie. She was always popular.

[A]

I think it was now I think Barbie's kind of the OG toy that's been around that crossed all generations.

[B]

I know. But not. And I'm right because I just watched like the toys that made us or whatever an episode and it was about Barbie. Barbie's prime explosion was 90s and we think about it now she. Barbie has one side of an aisle. Half aisle half of it. At Target Barbie would have like four aisles. Like you would. They would separate it between like Skipper and her friends. Barbie. Barbie at work. Like they sets it was that big vehicles like it was massive.

[A]

A twist.

[B]

Toys R Us R Us.

[A]

RIP Toys R Us. That's another one.

[B]

I apparently.

[A]

I know but it's all online. I think they have like pop up stores during Christmas and things. But it's not. Yeah, that's kind of what they went.

[B]

Looking it up actually.

[A]

Yeah. But the. The standalone walk through the aisle spend multi out. You know an hour of just like envisioning what you're gonna get for Christmas.

[B]

Oh my gosh. They are online.

[A]

Yeah, it's an online store and pop ups.

[B]

I mean that's cool.

[A]

Kind of makes sense.

[B]

It's cool. But how that store was massive.

[A]

Missed a texture.

[B]

How fun was it to go shop for like Christmas Wishlist.

[A]

Yeah. Especially going down the Nintendo aisle and seeing all those games that you didn't. You wanted. Right.

[B]

How did it die?

[A]

Kids online Amazon killed it. Because you. Because you that being that specialty with that much real estate just doesn't make sense anymore. Right. You think about like Walmart and Target have it. They got an aisle or two of it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But that amount of toys, that amount of stuff. Yeah you can. And really it's online. Online killed it.

[B]

And you can't survive with just a massive influx in November and December and then nothing else. You know.

[A]

And I think I do think even like GameStop still around because they kind of want more collectibles and Things like that, they're pivoting a little bit. And, you know, this whole thing about the meme stocks and stuff we can talk about later. But they've had to pivot their model to more the collectibles and adults, because games are just all digital now. Nobody buys hard copies. I mean, I guess some people do, but it's very rare that you're buying that. I. I have one. I have one that Vaughn in those.

[B]

Well, before you go to that, I want to say the last thing. The Saturday cartoons actually was like a program for me on abc and it was called One Saturday Morning. And you. There was like, I remember come it, like, you go into this big building that's like a hotel, and they're doing the intro song and there's a lady riding an elephant. Like, I just remember, like, vague things. And I remember watching that from the minute I got up until it ended around 11.

[A]

11. Yeah, it's. And we. I probably mentioned this in a prior podcast as well, but that was one of the beautiful things, like, of being a kid pre full digital is that there was a natural cutoff because all the TV shows sucked afterwards. And it was like, all right, well, what am I gonna go do? I'm not gonna sit in front of the TV because there's, you know, I can't. You know, I was talking to my dad about this. Like, when we stayed home sick. If I was home sick, the only thing on was. Was Price is Right, which was kind of cool, and I enjoyed that. And then soap operas came and wasn't, Gosh, I'm blinking on the name. All. All. Not on the family. That was. That was another.

[B]

All Our Children. All My Children.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

General Hospital.

[A]

General Hospital. Yeah, those. All those would come on me like, oh, this is awful. You know, what made you unsick? Because TV was so bad.

[B]

But your mom never got into that because she was working full time, right?

[A]

Yeah. No, zero.

[B]

I know not. I don't know. I do not remember my mom being a soap opera mom. She said when she was really young, she'd watch it from here to there, but I do not have a memory of my mom, like, watching that.

[A]

Yeah, I think daytime television is kind of all. I mean, I'm sure they're around, but it's not like it was back in the day because all the programs. But it created natural separation. It was like, watch TV in the morning and it wasn't like, turn the. You know, get off your screens. You know, like, get off games. You would just. There wasn't Anything else?

[B]

I have a question.

[A]

Yeah?

[B]

Were soap operas a new episode every day?

[A]

I don't know. I think so, actually.

[B]

How the heck do they film that much? That's a hard job then. So they probably were filming every day.

[A]

Well, maybe they had seasons. I'm sure they had breaks. Then they would probably do some reruns or they'd be breaking still.

[B]

That's like a talk show.

[A]

Oh, yeah. It's a lot, huh?

[B]

Now I'm intrigued and I want to watch how many episodes. You should get into it from that.

[A]

Go and send a comment on what soap opera gent should get into.

[B]

I've never watched one, but aren't they all kind of soap opera ish now? Like, Grey's Anatomy is pretty soap opera ish. I don't watch it anymore, but I did the longest running show in the world.

[A]

One fact I don't know. Why is it called a soap opera? Was it. Was it sponsored by soap companies? Maybe. I bet you that's what it is.

[B]

I mean, that sounds silly, but back in the day.

[A]

Yeah, I'm trying. Maybe it was. I'm gonna. Kaylee, can you go find out why it was called the soap opera?

[B]

Because the first daytime radio dramas were sponsored by soap manufacturers.

[A]

I was right.

[B]

Haley.

[A]

Okay, so if you couldn't hear, Haley said the first soap operas were spon. The radio ones were sponsored by soap companies.

[B]

That's. Yeah, good guess.

[A]

How about that?

[B]

I mean, it's like so literal, but also sounds dumb.

[A]

Like it seems like it was a sponsorship, that thing.

[B]

There you go. Okay, we can move on.

[A]

All right, well, that's a good one. I. The Nintendo cartridges blowing in them.

[B]

Oh, totally. Remember, I had Nintendo 64.

[A]

So you had the still. I had the original Nintendo.

[B]

And did it do anything?

[A]

Yeah. You'd be like, absolutely.

[B]

We'd be like, oh, and then jam that crap back in there.

[A]

I think it only made. I. I think from what I heard, it actually only it would work temporarily and eventually only make it worse. And this is something you probably don't have your memory on. Memories on this one used to tick me off. So games were expensive. We couldn't afford them, but we could. I could rent them. And the one thing about you would rent a game. We go to Blockbuster. We could talk about nostalgia. Blockbuster a second. But going to Blockbuster, you'd rent a game, you get it for like Friday, and then my mom would return it on Monday on the way to work. She had a weekend of it. You go in, you put that game in. There's about what are you doing with.

[B]

What is this?

[A]

Because you slide it in and you put.

[B]

Is it a cd?

[A]

No. Well, that's the way the Nintendo card that you slid it in, and then you push it down and click in. Oh, I didn't have that down. And then the COVID went down.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

That was the cartridge. Nintendo 64 was straight down, right? Straight click. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So this probably because they realize there's a lot of mechanisms that could break on it that way. But probably 25 of the time, that game wouldn't work. You talk about paid for it. Yeah. On the whole weekend.

[B]

And then I could see sue going up there and being vocal about you.

[A]

Like, well, I went up like, yeah, no, but we get the money back, but I'm not getting another game. What if it's a game you really want to play and it's only one cartridge? They had. You lost your entire weekend opportunity. So I learned. So one thing I did, I started to found rubbing alcohol. And I was like, maybe I can start cleaning them. So I would get Q tips and rubbing alcohol, and I clean it, clean it, and it'll come up with, like, this black stuff. And it would work. It would actually fix it. I think it probably broke it, but I would fix it for me at.

[B]

That time, you would. I could see you as a kid being like, I'm figuring this game.

[A]

I've taken a part cartridge before to figure out how. Like, I could see that. I did that as a kid, too.

[B]

I could see that games aren't. So. I mean, they're definitely, like, nostalgic. And part of my childhood growing up with two brothers who played video games, I never, like, pined over playing video games, but I would get thrown again. I talked about this before. My life as the only female was, I mean, you know, having two other. Two of the same gender. So more of the other gender.

[A]

I'm always a long way to say two brothers.

[B]

I'm trying to figure out what. I mean. I always felt like I was. No one was offering to play Barbies with me, so I would have to adapt and be like, I'm gonna play video games with you guys, like, just to be included. So it was always me going to what they were doing. And so I would get thrown in.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

To video games. But I never, like, was good.

[A]

Did you play Smash Brothers with them?

[B]

Mario Kart was the biggest.

[A]

Still. Big market, still fun.

[B]

Mario Kart, Super Mario. So just going through all the levels, I did like that one. I guess you. I wasn't good then. And I'm not good now at video games, and I just get really frustrated. Another one that was big was the James Bond. And I remember thinking, like, oh, my gosh, you just shot someone and you see blood on the screen. Like, I look back, golden eye, goldeneye.

[A]

And they had some jams.

[B]

I mean, I could sing the whole thing because I'd just watch them.

[A]

So what's funny is, is. And this is still to the day, this day, like, games. My generation really kind of came through. Like, I was. I was probably 10 when I got a Nintendo, right? The original Nintendo Classic. And now I still play video games, and I love them. And my son plays video games. But that game, I played goldeneye when I was at. In the army, and I remember playing it with my buddies, and we're like, four people on one screen.

[B]

Yeah, that's right. We could all three play. But they'd always kill me instantly. I like, I never.

[A]

Because they were looking at the other screen and they knew the maps, your brothers.

[B]

I know that it's not even cheating. They just were better. And they were never gonna give me a pass. Like, no way. That's not even in our DNA. And you know what? I wouldn't have either, if we're gonna be really honest. So I don't fault them for that.

[A]

But you are spooky good at just dance the game. Like, really good at that game.

[B]

Okay. Dancing ones. I can, like, be where I kind of need to be. It's very forgiving, that game.

[A]

I. You used to do the Superman dance, like, with, like, Flawless on the hardest level. And I'm like. And not. You didn't even have to watch the. The screen. You knew the whole dance.

[B]

Do you remember when? I think we maybe have talked about this, so I'm sharing the same story. Well, welcome to the podcast. I do that often. There was a point where I switched from zara to Forever 21 for a job, and we were dating, and I had a few weeks in between with nothing. And I literally would go to his house because I had nothing else to.

[A]

Do when I was at work.

[B]

When he was at work, and I would play just dance. He would come home from work, and I'd be profusely sweating. Like, just dance was my job. And I'd make him sit and watch me perform it. Like I was a child in front of her parents on the hearth.

[A]

Like, watch me.

[B]

I'll be like, watch this dance. And I'd be, like, so sweaty. And I'm like, looking back, I'm like, how were you Attracted to me. I was a literal child in so many regards.

[A]

You were doing it for exercise. You did it after. Even when we had kids. I want to say there was a point where you were doing it for exercise. You were dancing.

[B]

Sounds so lame, but I probably you did. I probably.

[A]

You were doing it and you would, you would do it for like a half an hour and you'd be like sweating like crazy. Which isn't. It's not a silly thing to do. It's. If it's fun and you're getting activity out of it, it's actually pretty smart.

[B]

And I do it with the kids now. The girls love it. They love when we do it together.

[A]

Well, and then you love Beat Saber. You're wildly good at that game.

[B]

Beat Saber is so fun. That's on the meta.

[A]

Yeah, you're very good at that game.

[B]

It's just rhythm. If you know it's music. I'm very musically gifted and so, like, when the music's tied to rhythm, I can do it. That's like, I was, apparently I'm good at playing drums too. I dated a drummer and he was like, what the heck? And he was like, dude, you've never even had a list. And I'm like, never. I just, I can hear a beat in my head, but, you know, can't catch me drawing a stick figure. Did not get that artistic job. I'm so bad.

[A]

You're better than you think. I, I, you, you're a little self deprecating on that one. You're not as bad as you think on that one.

[B]

No, honey, I'm bad at that.

[A]

All right. What's a jingle you remember from a kid from your childhood?

[B]

What's funny is I, I went into a jingle that had a telephone number and then my brain corrected it and it went to 753-0986.

[A]

That's not a jingle.

[B]

I know, but that's a song that my dad would play. That's the one I remember.

[A]

It's weird. That's their password for everything. I don't know why. You probably shouldn't use that for your password.

[B]

Whatever. Hold on. It's a carpet cleaner.

[A]

Oxiclean.

[B]

Or no, wait, maybe it's insurance. Someone's name. Hold on, let me. I remember a lot of jingles.

[A]

It's either carpet cleaner or insurance. J.G.

[B]

Wentworth. You don't remember that one?

[A]

No.

[B]

8, 7, 7, 5.

[A]

No.

[B]

Cash now. It like ended with Cash now and they would redo it. JG Wentworth at JG Wentworth.

[A]

You know, there's Some that's somebody's job to make like ear877 cash now.

[B]

So obviously what words jg we had. I don't know what it is.

[A]

We had a alone. I grew up in Wisconsin in Milwaukee area. There was a car dealership and. And it was Main street in Menominee Falls. That's the only thing I remember about this jingle. It was literally every time that was.

[B]

Say it again.

[A]

It was Main street in Menominee Falls, which. It's a city in Milwaukee, outside Milwaukee. But it was a car dealership. So I don't remember the name of the car dealership. But I know where it is. It's on Main Street. Menominee Falls.

[B]

You can always get there if you need it. Do you know something I miss? Nostalgic commercial wise.

[A]

What's that?

[B]

What happened to Ronald McDonald? He's still around, but they don't do commercial I guess because they don't need it. McDonald's commercials, well they're everywhere with that actual guy dressed up and he was famous. Like he was nostalgic.

[A]

Well, there's the Ronald McDonald House. Remember the whole. Yeah, yeah. The clown and grimace and the hamburglar and fry guy.

[B]

Where did that all hat. Where did all go? I think. I think they don't need it.

[A]

In the 2000s there was sort of this frowning upon completely marketing hyper process fast food to children. And I think there was this like try to pull away from that to just promote hyper processed fast food to adults.

[B]

To adults only. You know what's funny is I feel kind of bad because you can say all your childhood things and I wasn't alive and so I can't really banter with you back and forth. But when I talk about my childhood. You were like in college so you can hang because you were actually like in a semi.

[A]

I was actually alive.

[B]

That's true. That too. So I feel bad. This is kind of very one way conversation.

[A]

No, but I wouldn't. I think there's a lot of similarities. I mean it didn't change too much. I think progression changed after. I think the next generation with our kids there's a lot more differences than what we had. Yeah, right.

[B]

Last question.

[A]

You want me to do one more question?

[B]

One more question.

[A]

Lay it on me questions.

[B]

Lay it on me. Last one. Make it good. No pressure. Better be the best one. Better be the best.

[A]

What's a parenting lie? Hopefully our kids know this. What's one lie that we're okay telling our kids? Like the WI Fi goes to sleep.

[B]

At 9pm oh, I'm thinking like for their safety. I'm thinking more serious.

[A]

Oh, no. Oh.

[B]

We definitely told them when they were little, like, the Internet's out.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like they couldn't watch tv. You're like, oh, the Internet's out. It's just not working. Can't get it on right now because it just shut the argument down. They were like, dang. They probably thought we had the crappiest WI fi.

[A]

Yeah. I don't know.

[B]

It is a lie. The WI fi was not down.

[A]

Well, it's. The Internet was not down for them. It's down for them. It's all semantics. I left a word out. Right?

[B]

We. I definitely used to do that when they were younger. Like four and under. It was just a blessing. Or not. Four and under.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because they didn't care about kids. Probably like six and under. Viv. Yeah. Never mind. Viv. Does she like. She doesn't. She's not a gamer.

[A]

Have you noticed that she likes that game? Vaughn got her on a Roblox and then she's playing that Adopt Me game, which is kind of silly. She likes that one. Where to go. But I. I'll watch them do it.

[B]

We play, by the way.

[A]

We watch her monitor your kids. Roblox, There are a lot of. Oh my gosh on it, but there's a lot of really cool games as well. So it's just a little bit of. Little bit of parental involvement on that one.

[B]

Okay. And this is going to sound like I'm like being judgy or bashing and I'm really not trying to. And I have to remind myself of this as well. Roblox is not the enemy, per se. It's just we, I think as a generation have gotten really comfortable like handing our kids the iPad for a certain amount of time or whatever. And then we walk away because we're doing it to get something done again. Like Roblox or anything that has like a warning. Content creators, you just have to watch. Like you have to be around. That's why we're never allowed screens upstairs. We're not putting TVs in their rooms and. And they game at the kitchen table or in the playroom. And we have that massive cutout. I can hear everything. So I can catch it. And if it's like, you know, one, like something inappropriate or I can catch it or I'm constantly like doing Drive Bys to watch. And I think them knowing they're being watched really cuts a lot of that out. Because our kids are old enough they, you know, they know better. And so they are under a microscope a little more. So it just takes more. I. I feel it's just a little. Just takes a little more effort. I think it's.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, we've talked about annoying.

[B]

Like, we want to be able to.

[A]

Walk away, but anything online needs to be monitored. Just monitor a little bit. Yeah, I mean, it doesn't totally restrict. Just monitor a little bit more. I think that's. I think there's a balance you can have on those things. But it's like if you're going to allow them access, then you got to be involved in them or you deny them access, and then they don't know any better until they're, you know, almost teenagers and they're asking every day to have a cell phone with. With data. Yeah, every single day.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Asking you every single day for sure. Anyway, I remember my parents telling me all the time that they have no money.

[B]

Why didn't we do that? I just never thought to say. It's like, I do say, you can't afford it.

[A]

Can't afford that. No go money.

[B]

They look. They just look at us like we're idiots. They're like, whatever. And I'm like, you don't know what we have.

[A]

We're at the dollar store.

[B]

You don't know what we have. I mean, the thing that should they. The thing that does shut down, should they. The quickest. Yeah, the thing that shuts them down the quickest for me is, okay, you can use your money. They all have money from birthday and.

[A]

What they hoard it. Which is. We've talked about that before, and it actually does change their perspective of like, is, is it worth it or not? Like, oh, wonder if it's not worth it. We talked because. We talked about Berkeley's boo boo thing that she resold because she was like, why did I buy this? And she sold it.

[B]

So my. I even. There's things here and there where I'm like, okay, I was going to buy her that board game or I was going to buy her that book. But now I've started to say, like, you can buy it with your own money. I just test them to see if they actually really want it. And 95% of the time they pass. And I'm like, good, I was going to spend my money on that. And they aren't that into it.

[A]

My mom did a pretty good job about making us use our own money, our own funds for things. Like, we did that. We didn't per se, have an allowance, but, like, she. She was a hairdresser. She had. We called it the tip jar. Right. So if I wanted to go to the arcade or something like, mom, can I grab $5? And she's like, did you do this? And yeah, she's like, yep, you can grab it. So we just grab it from the tip jar. There's a very, like, we had a very open, honest kind of.

[B]

Do you ever steal from the tip jar?

[A]

That one time, swear to God and the Bible, not once. Was my mom's money. I didn't steal from my mom. I would have felt too guilty. I was a guilty person. I would feel horrible. Horrible doing that to my.

[B]

I never stole money either.

[A]

Yeah. So not one time. So we. But I would. I would call her at work. I'm like, can I grab this child of the 80s, latchkey with the tip.

[B]

With your hand in the tip jar, ready to go?

[A]

Probably.

[B]

Mom, can.

[A]

I know you're going to do it. So if I get a go, whoever. I did, I have. I did put an IU note like, Mom, I took $5. I put it in there. And, you know, she. I told her, like, hey, she'd be generally okay with it. But the day I turned 16, the tip jar went away.

[B]

What the heck?

[A]

Gone.

[B]

Where'd it go?

[A]

It became get a job, spend your own money. And I'm not kidding you. Literally the day. So. So it was getting a job. Because if I wanted to have a car.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If I wanted to do it. My. We had a third car. My. My. My stepdad was a car salesman, so he had a. Like a company car. So we had this 1984 Ford Escort, which is. Which, you know, 10 years old the time I had it. So it was already an older car. Also a piece of crap.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it was the car I got to use. But I had to pay for insurance and I had to pay for gas. And there were no exceptions.

[B]

I had to pay for insurance as well. But I had a job at 15.

[A]

Well, I was 15 and a half. Not that you just went up to me. Cool, right? What else did you do? What else did you do before me?

[B]

Jen, do you know why I got a job, actually? Charity. My friend from high school always talks about how, like, I was a good influence on her. And she always says, like, her life could. She's a survivor. Is like, the best way to describe her. Subscriber. Describe her. And I always am like, no charity that's within you. Like, you give too much credit to, like, us as your friends. But she actually influenced me in that regard, because she got a job out of necessity the minute she could. Fifteen in Texas. And I saw her at Sonic, which was right across the street from her high school, and I was like, you're telling me I can go make money, skate around on rollerblades delivering food and hang out with my best friend? Done. And so she really influenced me. And then once you have that money rolling in and you kind of have this freedom.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

To buy at the concession stand when you go to the football game, not have to ask for money. I loved it. And so she was a really big influence on me. To work and see it as a really fun thing versus, like, I didn't. I didn't have to do it, per se, but, like, my. I don't remember my parents ever being like, you have to get a job. But I definitely remember them being like, if you want money, you can. You're old enough to get a little job right now.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And I never had it shoved down my throat, but.

[A]

And that's. That's. I mean, that's where my mom. My mom wasn't as hardcore, like, as I kind of made it sound. But it was during wrestling season. I didn't have a job because it was. That was my.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Sport I really, really wanted to.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Focus on. And so football and wrestling, the two times I didn't do. But the rest of the year I had a job.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I remember the first job. I was a busboy at a restaurant called Chi Chi's.

[B]

I remember Chichi's.

[A]

You know what chi cheese means?

[B]

Does that mean boobs in Spanish?

[A]

Little. Little. Little nipples is actually what it means. It's a Mexican place in Wisconsin. I actually think it went national.

[B]

Little nipples.

[A]

Chi cheese means little nipples. That's the translation.

[B]

Why would they name it that?

[A]

Because they could. Because it was.

[B]

The E. Are like, we love chichis.

[A]

Founders like, oh, my God. It's like, honestly, it's how I feel like Elon Musk made the cyber truck. I think he's. I think he's pranking us. And he's like, watch these idiots buy this fridge. And if you have one fridge on wheels, there is some, like, look. There's some really cool things about Tesla. It does look. It looks like a trash compactor. It's all. It's. Anyway, but with that being said. Yeah. But I worked a shift one time as a bus boy, and the. The servers would tip out to the bus boys. That was kind of the job. Minimum wage. And then you got tipped out and none of the other bus boys showed up. So I literally worked the entire restaurant by myself.

[B]

Did you bank?

[A]

Yo. And this is. This is 1992 or three, give or take. I walked away out of the restaurant with 150 cash on top of my money. And I'm like, oh. I was like, nobody ever show up again. I wanted to do this restaurant by myself.

[B]

You're out there, like, piercing tires in the parking lot you're employing.

[A]

It was great. It was awesome. But it does give you. And I think it does give you and show you the sense of your own work and your reward on it. And it shows the value of what hard work can do. And I do give my mom credit for that was because, like, there you go. Now, when I got a speeding ticket, sure as well said, well, guess you owe me 300 bucks.

[B]

Yeah, my mom and dad probably. Probably would. Maybe would have done the same thing. I have one more story, and then we got to be done. We gotta wrap up my one last story. It had to do with money. That I was a bartender in a bar in college, and I had the best night of my bartending career. I made well over 200, I think it was like 205, I think. And for I was in a small country town, so 200 for a night just on tip alone was nuts. Like, it was really good. Normally it'd make a little over 100, 150 over 200. It was like $2, 205. And you'll see why I remember that. Put it in my apron, had my little black book thing, put it on my apron, got into my car and drove home. Came home, no apron.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

I was like, where the heck did my apron go? And I was like thinking through the night, laying in bed at night, just being like, I lost my whole book. Where did it go? I had taken my apron off, set on top of my car.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

So the next morning, me and my roommate go back out and it is like down a massive highway of nothing, just fields to get to this. It was like outside of the country town. We're in real country. It's like Dublin is what it was called. Down is by Tarleton State University. Luckily, all the weeds were really tall and there was no wind. And I'm talking. I'm a bartender. There's lots of ones in there. Okay. I found all $205 spread out in the. Oh, all over the house.

[A]

Were they really, like, spread out around. Just money.

[B]

In the grass. All of it. I found. How long did it take you Single dollar. We had to amount there for like 45 minutes at least. But there's two of us, so we were covering a lot of ground.

[A]

Did you tip her?

[B]

Probably not. Now that I think that through, I probably didn't. But we, like, thought it was fun.

[A]

You owe her lunch.

[B]

We were in college. Like, it was like we were laughing as we were, like, picking up. And then it became like a challenge of, like, are we gonna find every dollar bill? Yeah. And anyways, funny story about that. I'll never forget that day. I mean, I just sat there sweating, sleeping, and I was so sad. Like, that's 205 is like a grand. You know, to a college student. I feel like it's like a lot of money. Still a lot of money now actually, like 200 bucks. Like.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that's. That's. Anyway, sort a jar of random. Okay, there's gonna be fire. You can answer as quick as you want. Would you rather have a laugh that sounds like a car alarm or hiccup every time somebody says your name?

[B]

I think I do have a laugh that kind of resembles a car alarm, so I guess I'll choose that one.

[A]

No.

[B]

Okay. That's insane.

[A]

Or have a hiccup when anytime says your says your name. Jen. That you would rather hiccup every time says somebody says your name.

[B]

If I. I laugh all the time, Mike. I said to car alarm going off.

[A]

It sounds like a car alarm.

[B]

Yeah, no, I'll hiccup when someone says my name. Not a big deal.

[A]

Would you rather sneeze glitter or fart? Confetti farts a day.

[B]

Fart once a day. It would be really embarrassing in public, but around family, it would be hilarious.

[A]

Yeah. What if we have, like, a sneaker in your. Like, like shopping. You know, everyone's farted in the aisle at a. At a supermarket. It's like glitter. Because that's the one thing is. Have you ever. I've. I've. I have the worst timing. Sometimes I'll let out one that, like, smells like straight sewer.

[B]

Oh, I know.

[A]

And it's like the second I do it, somebody starts walking down the aisle.

[B]

I'm like, oh, like, like, like with their mouth open, like, about to sneeze.

[A]

There's a bunch of glitter in the air.

[B]

No, but I think what I could do is I could wear, like, super thick underwear and shorts underneath in public. And then that way only maybe a tiny one fleck would escape. You wouldn't be able to see it.

[A]

No, no, you're missing it.

[B]

Or sneeze.

[A]

Glitter.

[B]

I mean, sneezing glitter would be kind of cute, too.

[A]

You have to fart confetti.

[B]

I guess I'd rather sneeze glitter because sneezing isn't embarrassing. When glitter comes out would be mortifying. But also, fart is way funnier.

[A]

It would be. There's certain times where, like, if you could switch it.

[B]

Oh, yes. I'd like the switch mode. That'd be super funny to fart if.

[A]

Could you imagine your brother's house? It would be like. It would look like a litter bomb.

[B]

Look like a strip club if my brother farted glitter. I don't know. I don't know.

[A]

I guess they use glitter lotion, right?

[B]

Yeah. I don't know.

[A]

All right. This is awesome. It's a tiny bit of absurd.

[B]

Yeah, that was a good one. That was random, but I loved it. I think it's good. Hopefully you all enjoyed it. Thanks again for watching. As always, if you have a suggestion for a topic, any beef with us, or any questions you want to ask, please email you, me and Mike podcast gmail dot com. Again, that's all spelled out words. You, me, and mike, mail.com. we are checking that pretty frequently. We're not able to respond to every single email, unfortunately, but my producer is definitely using it. Guidance and inspiration. We also will be doing at some point kind of like voicemails from you guys. So if you want to leave a voice recording, you can go ahead and submit that and maybe we'll players in our episode talk about that. And as always, please feel free to leave a great rating. We love them so much and we're very appreciative for that.

[A]

Yeah, we got to figure out how we get more guests on this thing.

[B]

Yes, that's a great, great note. If you have a guest or a topic that you're interested in with someone coming on and talking about, please drop that as well. But hopefully y' all are having a great, wonderful week. Enjoy the rest of your week, and once again, thank you for listening.

[A]

Have a great week.

[B]

Bye, guys.